Below are predicted topics for IELTS Speaking Part 1 in 2023. The majority of the topics are recycled from topics that have been previously used. New topics are often related in some way to well known main topics. Even though part 1 is the easiest part of the IELTS  speaking test, make sure you start on the right foot by preparing comprehensively.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics 2023

Below is a list of likely topics that will appear during 2023. While you should be preparing all these topics, please do not ignore the common topics which are also likely to appear (there’s a link at the bottom of this post). During part 1, you will be given about 3 topics with a total of around 12 questions. This part lasts for 4-5 mins. See further down the page for typical questions for part 1, common topics, tips and useful links.

1. Appearance: hair styles & cuts, sloppy or tidy appearance, first impressions, importance of appearance
2. Animals: pets & wild animals, zoos
3. Art: museums, galleries, photos, paintings, drawing
4. Books & Reading: magazines, newspapers, articles, internet, children’s stories, novels
5. Celebrations & Festivals
6. Clothes & Fashion: casual/comfortable/formal/work/traditional clothes, accessories (bags, sunglasses, shoes, jewelry), particular articles of clothing such as trousers, shirts
7. Colours
8. Dancing
9. Family & Friends
10. Food & Cooking: meals, family meals, snacks, desserts & sweets, fast food, restaurants, cooking skills, cooking in schools
11. Happiness & Laughing
12. Health
13. Home – this is a main topic and frequently asked
14. Hometown – this is a main topic and frequently asked
15. Housework
16. Internet: website, surfing, shopping, socialising, apps (learning, useful, fun, maps, calendars, photos)
17. Music: songs, concerts, singers
18. Name: your name meaning, choosing names
19. Nature: parks, gardens, flowers, trees, environment
20. Noise: types of noise in everyday life, noise pollution, noise avoidance, silence, peace, mental health
21. Planning & Organising
22. Remembering: diaries, schedules, calendars, remembering numbers, concentration, phone apps for planning and remembering
23. Security: passwords, keys, alarms
24. Shops & Shopping: local shops, things to buy, first purchases, online shopping
25. Sky or Space: sci-fi films, space travel, planets , school learning about space, star gazing, night sky, clouds, weather signs, seasons
26. Sport & Exercise: team games, individual games, keeping fit, places for exercise
27. Study or Work – this is a main topic and frequently asked
28. Taking photos: types of photos, equipment, apps, family photos, holiday photos
29. Travel & Holidays
30. Teachers, School & Subjects: your childhood teachers, memorable teacher, lessons, art, drawing, science, calculations (maths), languages, sport, school rules
31. Weekends & Free Time
32. Work or Study – this is a main topic and frequently asked

What about the Questions?

All the topics above will most likely include the following question types: your favourite, your childhood memories, your childhood likes/dislikes, key past memories, first times, recent events in your life, your abilities, your opinions, your country, popular choices in your country, your future hopes, descriptions, how often you do something, how long you’ve been doing something, how something could be improved.

Lets see an example of applying those question types to a predicted topic: Appearance (Hair)

• Do you have a favourite hair style?
• What kind of hair style did you have as a child?
• Did you like that hair style?
• Is there a hair style you have had that you particularly remember?
• Have you recently changed your hair style?
• When did you last have your hair cut?
• Can you cut your own hair or do you go to a hairdresser or barber?
• Do you think it’s important to have a fashionable hair style?
• What kinds of hair styles are popular for women or men in your country?
• Do you plan to change your hair style?
• How often do you get your hair cut?
• How long have you had your current hair style?
• If you could change anything about your appearance, what would it be?

As you can see, it is possible to easily predict the questions you will be asked by following the list I’ve given you. So, for each topic listed above, prepare all those possibilities. Remember this isn’t about your knowledge of a topic, it’s about your life and your country in part 1.

Important Tips for Speaking Part 1

Tip 1: DO NOT memorise your answers when you prepare topics and questions. Just refresh your memory relating to each topic based on the possible questions and prepare key vocabulary that you think will help you answer. In the actual test, your answers must come naturally. Tip 2: Always answer directly. Don’t dance around the question, just be direct. Then add a bit more detail to explain. These are short answer questions which means the answer ought to be between 2-3 sentences long. Some answers might be slightly shorter and some longer. Tip 3: The examiner might interrupt your answer. This is normal. Let the examiner decide when it’s time to move on to the next question. Be prepared for that and just focus on the next question. Tip 4: You can ask for the question to be repeated. It won’t affect your score and could give you a bit of thinking time. Tip 5: Be natural, be open, be chatty in your speaking test. It is an informal chat with the examiner covering a range of topics. Tip 6: You can’t ask for the topic to be changed. Even if you don’t like the topic or don’t have much knowledge, you can still answer questions about your first memories, your opinions, your childhood, popular opinions etc. IELTS is not a test of knowledge. Each question is just a chance to chat and show your English. Tip 7: Also prepare from the list of common topics for speaking part 1. Click here:  COMMON SPEAKING PART 1 TOPICS

Useful Links:

Click below to open the useful pages for IELTS Speaking Part 1 exam preparation:

• IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics
• IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topics
• How long should my answer be?
• All IELTS Speaking Tips & Model Answers

Good luck in your test. Let me know how it goes.

All the best, Liz

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